Indian team is ready for challenges in A1 GP: Narain Karthikeyan

New Delhi , Sept 17 (ANI): Ace driver Narain Karthikeyan who is spearheading Team India for the A1 GP grid said on Wednesday that it is ready to face the challenges ahead as the team is better prepared than the previous year.

A1 Team India- representing India at A1 GP, launched its livery in New Delhi on Wednesday based on the theme of the traditional sporting colours of India using combination of classic Indian blue and cyan.

The single-seater series runs mostly during the European winter and will be starting its fourth season of A1 GP - the World cup of motor sport, flags off on October 4-5th this year in Netherlands .

Formula One champions Ferrari will be designing the cars for A1 Team India and providing engines after agreeing a six-year deal last October.

India had a phenomenal third season with two wins at Zhuhai , China and Brands Hatch, UK and are expecting better with Ferrari cars.

Karthikeyan told media that he would make best out this opportunity of driving Ferrari.

I mean the pace is there, the technical team is there, the whole team has been restructured a bit, the marketing, everything, so going into the forthcoming season we are looking quite a bit better than what we were last year. I am definitely looking forward to Ferrari powered car because as a driver you grow up wanting to drive a Ferrari and this is great opportunity so I”ll make the most out of it, said Karthikeyan.

Adding that the team would be going with realistic targets, Karthikeyan hoped to finish among the top six.

Well realistic target, we want to win more races than last year, that’’s the first thing. Being more consistent and if you combine these two factors the end result will be a higher position in the championship. So we are aiming for top six in the championship and I think that is a realistic target. If things go well then you can aim for the top, we”ll be realistic, we still have our feet firmly on the ground, he added.

A1 Team India also announced Armaan Ebrahim and Parthiv Sureshwaran as rookie in all the upcoming races scheduled for the 2008-2009.

Ebrahim, youngest driver in the team would be making his debut as rookie driver for A1 team India .

Karthikeyan, 30, became India ‘’s first Formula One driver in 2005 when he signed for Jordan , stoking ambitions in the fast lane for the nation with a booming economy and youngsters looking to pick up sports other than cricket.

His tenure with Jordan proved unproductive and a two-year testing role with Williams gave him few opportunities.

Karthikeyan secured the first race win for Team India in the A1 Grand Prix series in China last year. (ANI)